Human Relations
by Jeuji
Summary: Vivian Carpenter is a fresh out of university elementary school teacher, worried about tests and students, the last thing on her mind is post apocalyptic robot wars! When she is thrown into this new word she only has one choice, survive with what you got.
1. Tuesdays

Tuesdays, god do I ever hate Tuesdays, Wednesdays at least are in the middle of the week so you know you're over the bump, Thursdays you know there is only one day left until the weekend, Fridays, well their self explanatory, and Mondays you're simply too comatose to even compute what's going on. Tuesdays though, everything goes wrong on Tuesdays.

It was three weeks earlier that I broke up with my boyfriend of two years, and the worst of it was I couldn't be mad at him, he really loved me. I just realized one day that I wasn't in love with him, and that although I was attracted to him, it wasn't enough, and he didn't challenge me at all. I came to find I had turned into someone who was staying in a relationship for looks and nothing else. After I told him he didn't look at me, all he said was to be out of the apartment with my things by the end of the week, I haven't seen him since.

I was moved out two days later, and I'm currently living back home. During the last couple weeks I've been thinking about what I really want in life, and then a thought hit me one day while I was making dinner, maybe I want someone who I thought so much of that looks would become obsolete. Someone who I couldn't give up no matter what, someone who could challenge me, tell me I'm being a cow!

So when this specific Tuesday started relatively well, I should have clued in to the fact that something was wrong. I had a good nights sleep, woke up early enough to have breakfast, but late enough to sleep in. I even tried looking good today, making sure to pick out that cute shirt that goes with my favorite pair of jeans, hell even my car was working. That should have been my first hint that the day would go south, but being a silly girl, excited over the fact that she had managed to complete a full month of her first real adult job, but why would I think about something as insignificant as that?

My current employment is working at Mission city traditional elementary, after university I had two options, teacher or geologist, in the end I chose geologist, which left me with another decision, high school teacher of elementary school teacher. After weighing my options I decided on what I thought was the lesser of two evils, little did I know children can be very difficult, who'd have guessed! Thankfully I was lucky enough to have been blessed with a well behaved class in lieu of Tarzan the ape man.

It wasn't until I was pulling up to the school and saw the big yellow bus that I realized it was field trip day. So right when that school bell rang, and one by one my students walked into the class eager to go on a fun filled day at the Mission city chocolate factory, much to my horror. This I thought to myself must have been the tragic event that was going to ruin my perfect day, but of course I just had to be proven wrong. Myself and the other class teacher, Margret a wonderful elderly woman with long thick white hair, who always wore green khaki dresses with brightly colored clogs, collected our students and headed towards the big bus. After a few quarrels with the students and people rearranging, we were off.

The ride out of suburbia and into the center of the city was filled with off key how many bloody bottles on the wall there were, and the occasional sick child, all in all a wonderful bus ride. By the time we had reached our destination most of the students had become restless and were eagerly pushing each other to escape the confines of the bus.

Margret and I made sure to utilize the ancient wise practice of the buddy system, and when each of our students each had a partner we were off inside the huge grey building, not realizing what kind of disaster our day would become. I remember the half balding tour guide who spoke to my chest, which much to my horror the some of the students noticed. I remember the sound of the machines as we past, and I remember the army officer coming into the building telling everyone to evacuate.

We were rushed out side by the men in uniforms, only to be confronted by lines of army jeeps. As people loaded onto the green vehicles I counted the students one by one until it was my turn to board. "Ma'am, I'm sorry but we don't have enough room for you on this one, you'll have to wait for the next envoy" the officer told me, all the while the children excited to be on an army vehicle. "Vivian you go I'll wait here" Margret yelled from inside the truck, I simply shook my head, "No go ahead, I'll take the next one, besides I don't think I could handle both your class and mine" I yelled back.

Suddenly one of my students stuck her head out the back "Awe come on Ms. Carpenter, we're not that bad" I just laughed and waved good bye as the truck pulled away, not realizing that this would be the last time I ever saw my students again, not realizing how much I should have appreciated the normality that was my life during the time I spent as an ordinary teacher.

Just as the last jeep disappeared over the horizon the far end of the factory blew up, I abruptly turned around only to find two huge machine creatures dukin' it out like UFC fighters in a death match. I did of course what most sensible human beings would do, run in the opposite direction screaming like a banshee out of hell. All the while not realizing I was just moving closer to the main battle field, but then again I could have cared less at that moment, screaming and flailing takes up a lot of concentration you know.

As I ran, I passed by people and debris, not realizing what I was doing, I just wanted to get away from the two metal heaps of destruction behind me. It was then that I turned my head ever so slightly and saw down an alley way a young girl struggling with a tow truck. She appeared to be crying, I looked at her face and something twitched inside me, almost like a memory. I abruptly changed my direction to see if I could help her, only to stop abruptly in my tracks at what she was trying to tow away, it was a big yellow, robot…thing.

The girl didn't seem to notice me, but the machine on the ground did, it looked down at me, straight into my eyes. It then made a pathetic half whimper; half cry noise, as if it was in pain. 'Crap' I thought to myself, 'it has a conscience, now I have to help', I quickly moved closer to the girl which got her attention "Thank god! Could you please help me" I looked at the girl, she gave me this pleading look, I then looked up at the machine again it was then that I realized just how hurt it was, both of it's legs had been severed off and all that was left of it's paint was a few odd patches of yellow, saying it was hurt was an understatement.

"Okay, what can I do?" I ran over and she handed me a hook, jeez this girl couldn't be any older then 17, what was she doing strapping this machine to a tow truck? I kept my questions to myself for the moment; I could wait until later for answers. I attached the hook to where she directed me, not wanting to know what I was touching in the process. We both then got into the truck, "So where are we going from here?" I asked not really paying attention to what she was doing.

"Were getting him out of here" by "him" I assumed she meant the big hunk of metal with a face. "Aha got it!" her head lifted up from under the steering wheel, I hadn't even realized she was hot wiring the truck. "Ready Bee?" She yelled back, Bee as he seemed to be called made a little bee-whistle noise. We began to drive off, heading out of town.

The entire time the girl looked, nervous? No that wasn't it, torn, yes torn, as if she had left some thing back there. "I'm Vivian by the way, Vivian Carpenter" I said, glancing over at her, no taking her eyes off the road she replied "I'm Mikaela, Mikaela Banes", I gave her one more look over, the I turned my head back to glance at the robot, he was also looking back towards the burning city, I sighed, oh yes I was going to die today.

"So when are we turning around to help with the fight?" both Mikaela and Bee craned their necks to look at me, the truck screeching to a stop. She just stared at me for a while, perhaps contemplating my statement, I could also feel the eyes of the robot looking at me, wondering what I was doing; I just kept my eyes forward. "Well? We haven't got all day" I smiled at her, she gave me this thankful smile and Bee whistled in thanks.

She then did something I was not expecting, she hit reverse and went well past the speed limits through the city, debris every where, guns going off. We turned a corner and there was another huge robot, 'great' I thought 'yep, I'm going to be killed'.


	2. Beginning of the end

Everything happened so fast, one minute we were turning around to head back into the city, adrenaline pumping through my veins, eyes darting in all directions waiting for something to happen. Then suddenly out of no where a wave of destruction over took us, we turned around a corning and came to the entrance of hell, luckily Mikaela and Bee we're quick to react. As soon as we were under siege Bee's arm transformed into a gun and returned the fire with equal zeal, at the same time Mikaela maneuvered us through the fields of debris.

I realized with a start that I hadn't been paying attention; thankfully a bullet in my arm reminded me. When the bullets pierced the hull of the truck, Mikaela quickly turned down an alley way. When we got onto the main street, we came face to face with another robot, only this one upon seeing us not only turned his gun on us, but began to shoot. Mikaela made a sharp turn and sped up backwards towards the robot, the little yellow robot firing his gun the entire way, myself, I could feel nothing, hear nothing, but the sound of my heart beating in my chest, speeding up as it got closer to our target.

Without warning another surge of bullets came from behind the robot, and just as he was turning to confront the new foe at his hind, Bee took the killing shot and finished him off. From there I recall very little, I was pulled out of the truck by more men in uniforms, we were moved to what appeared to be their safe zone. From I could see the destruction taking place, and without warning my body began to move on its own, as if in a trance.

I walked outside into the open, I felt like I was watching an old silent film, I could faintly hear the sound of the soldiers yelling to one another, see, no, feel the wind rushing past me. I stood in the middle of the street, looking around me, a maimed car, a piece of building that had found its way down to earth from the sky, and a doll. I slowly walked over to it, my hand reached out to grasp it, only to hesitate, some where in the back of my mind telling me not to touch the belongings of the dead.

I curved my head to the sky, the sun blinding me briefly, but quickly my eyes adjusted to the change in light. I saw the destruction that had befallen the city; I have no words to describe my feelings at that moment. It was then that the burst of light come from my left, bringing all my senses back in a rush of confusion and chaos. I watched in amazement at the phenomenon taking place in front of my eyes, I was so entranced that I didn't even realize when Mikaela took a place by my side.

It ended with a moan, then reality came crashing back to the world. I suddenly realized the amount of people who had rushed out to watch the spectacle; I noticed as well that a new robot had appeared onto the scene, he walked up along side Bee. "_We are the champions my friends!"_ I looked over at the little damaged robot, he returned the look with what appeared to be a smile, and... Was he playing Queen? "Victory? Of what?" I asked, to nobody in particular, but my reply ended up coming from one of the new robots. "Today we have triumphed over our foe" I looked over at the yellow and orange robot, so they could speak.

"So it was indeed a battle then" I mumbled more to myself then anyone; the bigger robot gave me a questioning look. "Why what did you think it was? You humans are so …odd" he searched for the word for a moment, I couldn't really give him a reply, I mean we are odd, among other things. The other big robot bent over Bee and removed the truck's towing chains from him and lifted him up; much like two soldiers would, much like two friends would.

They both slowly headed off in the direction of the explosion, one walking the other limping. "Where are you going?" I asked Mikaela came running out at about the same time. He stopped and turned to me, "I'm taking him to Optimus" he smiled, then headed off, Mikaela followed, and well considering I didn't have many options, I would rather stick with the giant talking machine guns.

While we headed closer into the heart of the desolate city, I began to think. I knew my life had forever been altered, what ever hope for ordinariness I had was now buried under the rubble of the city. What were these robots? Of course I doubt I will receive the answers I'm craving, but still I might as well ask questions, and maybe this Optimus fellow will be able to help me. A few yards later from my last worries we reached our destination.

His back was turned to us, but I could tell he was the Optimus everyone was talking about; he had a presence to him, a pull that deemed respect and attention. He was taller then the rest of the queer machines, yet leaner too, with longer limbs, and unlike the rest he had red and blue flames running up and down his body. The giant robot shifted his leg slightly revealing a boy; Mikaela suddenly took off running as did the boy. When they reached each other, Mikaela hugged him for dear life; the boy took a few moments to realize the girl was hugging him, but soon returned the favor with vigor.

"Sam" shock ran up and down my body in shivers, his voice, no human could have a voice like that. "I owe you my life" as he finished his body shifted, and just as he turned around our eyes met; such an unfathomable blue. "I don't I know you" it took me a moment to realize it was me he was talking to, I blinked a few times then reality came rushing back to me. "Oh, yes, hi, I'm Vivian" I replied shaking my head as if to remove the nonsense rolling around in it.

"She helped Bee and me, she convinced us to come back" Mikaela stated, only briefly removing her eyes from the boy. "Hmm, that was a very brave thing you did" Optimus said, my eyes still locked to his. "Yes, well I like to think of it more as a loss of sanity, and not bravery" I winced a bit while I told him this; bravery signifies I did something, hell all I did was tag along. He blinked down at me, then chuckled, "indeed I'd say so" he replied, giving me one last look before turning to Bee and the other robot.

"Ratchet, how long until you can get Bumblebee up and running?" he asked the yellow and orange robot, Ratchet looked down at Bee briefly before replying. "Shouldn't take more then a day" he replied, just then another robot came in carrying two pieces of something, this one was buff and colored dark grey. "There was nothing we could do" he told Optimus as he handed him the two bundles, Optimus shook his head. "Aww, Jazz, we lost a great comrade, but gained new ones" our eyes met again for a second then he turned to look at Sam. "Thank you, all of you, you honor us with your bravery" he stated to the group that had accumulated around us.

"Will we be returning home?" Asked Ratchet, Optimus looked at the other robot sadly. "Without the cube there is no point" he replied, the rest of them looked disappointed, it was then that Bumblebee spoke for the first time. "Then I would like to stay with the boy" it was the first time since embracing that Sam actually looked away from the girl in his arms. "You can talk?" the boy asked, giving the robot a questioning stare. "Yes, I have been able to for quite some time" he said in light humor, Sam let out a huge sigh, making the group start laughing.

"Were do we go from here?" asked Sam suddenly, good question, no one seemed to have an answer for him. "I looked up only to find Optimus silently watching me again, I met his eyes fully, we both watched each other silently, wonder what was going through his head. He smiled at me then turned to the rest of the aliens, leaving me to ponder what would happen next. For a moment I thought to myself, maybe the future wouldn't be so bad; it was a really short moment mind you…


End file.
